Fine Building Beyond The Loop

You Can Find Imaginative Examples Of Chicago Architecture From Wilmette To Jefferson Park

April 24, 1992|By June Sawyers.

While Chicago boasts one of the finest skylines in the country, not all of the city`s architectural marvels are in the Loop or on the nearby Magnificent Mile. Neighborhood and suburban architecture can be just as inventive, just as imaginative and just as creative as anything within the shadow of the Sears Tower.

We`ve put together a selective guide to some of the finest off-Loop architecture. The locations range from downtown Park Ridge to the Prairie Avenue District on the Near South Side. The style ranges from art deco to Romanesque. The buildings themselves range from movie theaters and nightclubs to high schools and churches, from museums and cultural centers to hotels and YMCAs.

FOR THE RECORD - Additional material published April 30, 1992:Corrections and clarifications.A story in the April 24 Friday section about architecture outside the Loop stated that the Pickwick Theatre has been divided into three movie screens. In fact, the theater was not divided; two of the screens are additions to the original theater. The Tribune regrets the error.

This admittedly brief sampling only scratches the surface. If we had more space, we would have included the likes of the Sulzer Library, just south of Lincoln Square; the Biograph Theater on Lincoln Avenue; the multichimneyed archbishop`s residence at 1555 N. State Pkwy. and, nearby, the former Playboy mansion at 1340 N. State Pkwy.; the Brewster Apartments at 2800 N. Pine Grove Ave.; the Temple of North Shore Congregation Israel in Glencoe; and the Hotel Florence in the historic Pullman District, as well as the fine examples of residential architecture in such areas as the Hutchinson Street District, the Alta Vista Terrace District, the Old Town Triangle Historic District or the gingerbread houses of Wicker Park and the huge, expansive mansions of the Beverly neighborhood on the Far Southwest Side. And we can`t forget the residential and commercial structures of Frank Lloyd Wright in Oak Park or Stanley Tigerman`s remarkable single-family homes on North Sedgwick Avenue in Old Town-each with their own design yet each somehow part of a greater whole.

North Side

Edgewater Beach Apartments, 5555 N. Sheridan Rd. Mention the word

``Edgewater`` and many Chicagoans will remember the Edgewater Beach Hotel, which stood along North Sheridan Road before being demolished in 1969. The Edgewater, which opened in 1916, boasted a luxurious interior (such as bathrooms lined with marble), a private beach, putting greens, tennis courts and a children`s playground. Dignitaries, celebrities and athletes-or anyone who appreciated good taste-frequented the hotel. During the `30s and `40s, students danced to the music of big bands on Friday nights. The 1,000-room, pink-stucco hotel declared bankruptcy in late 1967. High-rises have since replaced it.

Yet not all is gone, for one survivor of the Edgewater Beach Hotel era remains: the 19-story Edgewater Beach Apartments. Actually the name is a bit of a misnomer. The 300-plus-unit building is a cooperative, not an apartment building. Unlike residents of an apartment building, residents in a cooperative do not pay rent to a landlord; instead, they buy shares in a corporation.

Designed by Benjamin Marshall, who also designed the Edgewater Beach Hotel, the Drake Hotel and the South Shore Country Club, the building features a colorful pink exterior, a handsome lobby and a number of unusual shops, including a soda fountain, a florist shop and the Edgewater Beach Cafe. The latter is a throwback to another era. It offers a charming pink-and-white color scheme, courteous and old-fashioned service and a delightful menu.

Famous residents of the Edgewater Beach Apartments have included former Bears coach George ``Papa Bear`` Halas and a former mayor, Martin Kennelly.

Elks National Memorial Building, 2750 N. Lakeview Ave. Built in 1926, this landmark structure overlooking Lincoln Park is dedicated to the members of the Elks organization who died in World War I. Its dominant feature is a dome and a series of columns. The building is further adorned with friezes and sculptures.

Chicago Historical Society, Clark Street and North Avenue. The original Georgian revival-style building was built in 1931 by the architectural firm of Graham, Anderson, Probst & White. A new front wing was added in 1972, but many critics felt that the design was out of place and marred the original building`s elegant design.

In 1988, a new and larger historical society was unveiled; it included a new entrance wing that managed to combine the best of both worlds, nicely complementing the older style while creating an exciting contemporary touch.

Cobbler Square, 1350 N. Wells St. In 1985, architect Kenneth A. Schroeder transformed a former Dr. Scholl`s footwear factory-which before that was the headquarters building of a bicycle manufacturer-into a stunning residential and retail complex. Cobbler Square has since become a landmark of the Old Town neighborhood, houses Barbara`s Bookstore and Pier 1 Imports and serves as the North Side meeting place for Common Ground, a spiritual resource and study center.